scotfoed



(No Model.)

L. K. SGOTFORD. BLANK PoR MAKING sPoNGE RUBBER TYPE BASES. No. 578,527.

Patented Mar. 9, 1897..

W W W UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LOUIS K. SCOTFORD, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE SUPERIOR RUBBER TYPE COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

BLANK FOR MAKING SPONGE-RUBBER TYPE-BASES.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent NO. 578,527, dated March 9, 1897.

Application led December 2l, 1896. Serial No. 616,374. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Louis K. ScoTFoRD, of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Blanks for ,Making Sponge- Rubber Type-Bases; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to an improved blank for making sponge rubber type-bases for hand-stamps and the like.

Sponge-rubber has been heretofore molded in the form of rectangular masses which are interposed between the rubber types of a hand-stamp and the rigid support or platen of the same, such sponge-rubber bases serving to yieldingly support the type, and thus permit the latter to adj ust themselves to irregularities of the surface being printed upon or to irregularities of the supporting surface which rests the paper on which the printing is done.

In view of the various sizes of hand-stamps used it is either necessary for the dealer furnishing the stamps to have molded the rubber bases specially for the individual handstamps or to provide a very large number of sizes from which bases of the proper size may be selected as needed, either method being obj ectionable by reason of the expense involved. A dealer in hand-stamps, moreover, who has no facilities for manufacturing the spongerubber bases must necessarily provide himself with alarge number of sizes of the molded bases, in order to avoid the delay of having them especially manufactured when needed.

While bases of a particular size may be cut from a large sheet of sponge-rubber of the proper thickness, yet this is objectionable by reason of the fact that the exposed edges of the bases in such case would not have a finished appearance, but Would have a roughened or cellular surface liable to accumulate ink and dirt and to present at all times an.

. thickness and suitable Width, according to the length of the stamp to be made, said blank being formed or molded with transverse grooves arranged parallel With each other and extending nearly through the thickness of the strip, said grooves partially severing or dividing the strip into many narrow strips or sections of equal width, one or more of which sections 'may be severed from the body of the blank by cutting through the connecting portions which join the sections, as by the use of scissors or knives operating in the groove at which the separation is to take place. In making a single type-base from a blank thus prepared a piece will be cut from the end of the blank of the proper width for the type-base and including either one, two, or three or other number of sections, it being of course understood that the platen or rigid part of the stamp to which the base is attached will be of a width suitable to receive the base. The base thus prepared, when secured to the platen or holder, will have the types secured thereto without regard to the location of the separating-grooves referred to, which latter perform no function in the finished article, but merely serve as a means of dividing the type-base blank into separate type-bases of desired Widths in constructing the stamp. It follows that in applying the types to the base the latter may extend across the said grooves and commonly will do so, the types being arranged Without regard to their relations to the grooves.

The invention may be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying draw- As seen in Fig. l, A indicates, as a whole,

a sponge-rubber type-base blank, the same consisting of a strip of sponge-rubber of uniform thickness and having parallel sides and IOO ends atright angles with each other. In said blank are formed a 'plurality of very thin and narrow grooves a, which extend across the blank or from side to side thereof parallel with each other and extending nearly through the strip, so as to form a series of transverse partially-detached strips or sections A A'. A blank thus constructed may be made by the use of the mold shown in Fig. 3, wherein B is the recessed lower part, and C the upper part or lid, of the mold. In the lower part of the mold in contact with the bottom thereof and rising therefrom are a plurality of very thin metal strips b ZJ, which when the rubber is molded form the parallel grooves a CL.

The sponge-rubber strip formed in the mold made as described has the characteristics of a spongy interior combined with a non-porous exterior surface or skin, so that the base thus molded will have a smooth exterior surface extending over its sides and edges, as well as over the sides of the sections A A@ except where the latter are joined by the connecting parts at the bottoms of the separati lig-grooves a ci. It follows that if the strip be severed by cutting` through the same along the line of one of the grooves the severed piece or section will have a smooth surface everywhere except at the narrow line or surface where the cutting is done, which of course will be adjacent to the bottom or lower surface of the strip. The said grooves a a can and conimonly will be extended nearly through the thickness of the strip, as clearly seen in the drawings, so that only a small thickness of rubber need be cut through in order to sever the blank along the line of one of the grooves.

It follows from the above that if a typebase of proper width (consisting of one or more of the sections A) be severed from the blank-strip, made as shown in Figs. l and 2, and if such type-base be cemented to a holder or platen, both the ends and sides of the base will present a smooth or nished appearance, with the exception of the narrow surfaces along their lower edge, at which the rubber is severed in cutting the base from the blank- Strip.

In Fig. 4 is vshown a supporting-block or holder D, having a handle E, and to which is secured a sponge-rubber type-base F. Said type-base in this instance consists of two sections of the blank-strip, such as is shown in Figs. l and 2. G indicates the rubber type, of usual form, cemented to-the face of the base and extending over the dividing-groove d. rlhe said block D is preferably-provided with a recess d in its face, forming lateral flanges CZ, which extend over and embrace the side edges of the type-base a sufficient distance to cover the rou ghened or porous portions thereof at which the cutting was done in the act of severing the type-base from the blank-strip.

A hand-stamp made as described obviously has the same appearan ce as would be obtained by separately molding the type-base, it being obvious that both the ends and sides of the base F in this instance have smooth and finished surfaces and present no rough or cellular cut edges.

Figs. 5 and 6 illustrate the same features as described in connection with Fig. 4, Fig. 5 showing a'narrow type-base consisting of only one of the sections shown in Fig. l and carrying only one row of type, while Fig. 6 shows a broader type-base consisting of three of the sections shown in Fig. l and carrying two rows of type applied over the groove a.

The employment of the partially-divided type base strip, having parallel grooves molded therein, as described, obviously enables a dealer to furnish type-bases of different sizes required without the necessity of having the bases separately molded and without the necessity of carrying on hand a large number of sizes, it being of course u-nderstood that the dealer need only to cut from the blankstrip a single section or a plurality of sections, which are divided by the grooves a, as may be necessary to afford a type-base of the required size. As to the length of the type-base, the blank-strips may be made of the comparatively few standard sizes necessary,and when desired for a stamp of extra width two or more sections cut from the blank-strip may be placed together end to end to afford a base of the required length. y

When the holder to which the sponge-rubber base is secured is provided with lateral flanges, as shown, the holders will be provided in several sizes, the widths of which are equal to that of one individual section of the basestrip or blank or multiples thereof, so that bases severed from the blank will always accurately fit into a holder of the appropriate size.

It is obviously necessary that the dividinggrooves should be formed in the blank-strip by the process of casting of the molding, as

TOO

by these means only can be attained the desired result of a smooth continuous surface or skin on the side margins of the spongerubber base.

I claim as my invention- A molded blank for sponge-rubber typebases, comprising an integral strip of spongerubber, provided with equidistant, parallel, severing-grooves, which are molded in the blank and afford smooth or finished surfaces on all edges of the type-bases cut from the said blanks.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I affix my signature, in presence of two witnesses, thislSth day of Deceniber, A. I). 1896.

LOUIS K. SCOTFORD.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM L. HALL, R. CUTHBERT VIvIAN. 

